Dialogue among religions over dinner

Bilal Bilici (CAS ’07), president of the International Student Consortium, helps organize a multifaith dinner on October 2.

Bilal Bilici (CAS ’07), president of the International Student Consortium (ISC), is busy organizing ISC’s next big event, a multifaith dinner in celebration of Ramadan, Yom Kippur, and Dussera.

In his third year as president of ISC, Bilici, with Katherine Kennedy of the Howard Thurman Center, wanted to create an event that would unite people of different faiths and cultures. October 2 is a special day for many religions, with the celebrations of Jewish Yom Kippur, Muslim Ramadan, Hindu Dussera, and Gandhi’s birthday.

The ISC is a student organization that stresses the unification of cultures and a realization of common ground, says Bilici. “We’re like the UN,” in that the group invites individuals of all cultures, religions, and nationalities, including Americans, to participate.

The multifaith dinner will take place October 2, 2006, from 7:10 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the GSU Metcalf Hall, 775 Commonwealth Avenue. There will be a maghrib and iftaar at 6:25 p.m. for Muslims and a final shofar at 7:07 p.m. for the Jewish community. Although the dinner is free, an RSVP is requested by September 27. The event is cosponsored by the BU Hillel, Islamic Society, and Hindu Student Council.